The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1887-05-11
AT THE CAPITAL.
LANSING May Q. 1887.

casion to expel a member of either house,
or even to make the attempt. Last week,
however, witnessed such a scene at the
Capitol as We hope may never again dis
grace the fair name and fame of our
boosted Michigan. Beginning promptly
at 1915 on the morning of the 26th (ac-
cording TO previous appointment, the
House OF Representatives, through the
committee previously chosen for the pur-
pose, called the case OF Mr.. Dakin and
proceeded to examine Witnesses, as in open
court, to prove the four charges that had
been made against one of their own number,
which were in substance:
/. That the accused, Milo III. Dakin, q
Representative from the First District of
Saginaw County, did, on the 10Th day of
April, and at other times, receive money
from John III. Shackelton, Mayor of Sag
inaw, to be corruptly used among the
members of the House in influencing votes
for bill to amend the charter of the city
of Saginaw;
2. That the said Dakin did, on the 10Th
day of April, and at other times, solicit
and endeavor TO procure money from GER
tain persons who were namely, ostensibly
to be used in corrupting members, but act
ually to be used for his own use and bene-
fit;
3. That said Dakin did, on the day
named, place opposite the names OF fifteen
members of said House of Representatives
sums varying from So to $25, which he
said would be necessary to be used in or
der to secure the votes OF the members so
named for the bill in question, thereby
bringing the good name and character of
said members into ill-repute;"
4. That said Dakin did, on the day
named and on other occasions, solicit
| 70 hsa
used among the members OF the House of
Representatives in influencing their votes
in favor of the bill named.
The committee for the prosecution con-
sisted of Representatives A. II. Chapman,
j. V. b. Goodrich. II. w. Thompson, A.
| b. Pierce, and b. A. Snow, and they were
ably assisted by Representatives Diekema
and Harrington, who were called to aid In
the conduct of the case by vote of the
House; while Dakin was defended by F.
l.. Dodge of Lansing, Judge p. L. Van
Zile of Charlotte, and Judge l.. G. Holden
of Saginaw.
Frederic l.. Eaton, the gentleman who
made the charges against Dakin, was the
first witness called by the prosecution, and
his examination and cross examination &C.
cupied nearly the whole day, and he was
recalled for quite time on the third day
yet he told plain, straightforward story
that the attorneys for Dakin were not able
to break or disprove, although they made
desperate attempts to do so, and fought the
case for all there was in 1t until the close
of the third day, when both sides rested
their case, after having taken testimony
enough to make q book of probably 500 OF
900 pages, while the speeches of counse
in summing up the case will also cover {
large number of pages more. Dakin occu-
pied the witness stand for an hour or two
on the last day, but his testimony and ap'
parent indifference to the gravity of the
situation had the effect to weaken rather
than strengthen his case.
The House decided to hold an evening
session on the third and last day, and ther
the summing up began, Representative
Snow opening for the prosecution. Mr.
Dodge followed for the accused, and ther
came Holden for the same side, Represen
tative Goodrich for the prosecution, judge
Van Zile for the defense, and then Rep
resentative Diekema, the best and ables
orator in the House, closed the case TO
the prosecution.
The committee announced that article,
one and four would be waived as no
proven, and then a vote was ordered OF
the second count soliciting money, anC
intending to use ii for his own use), anC
the vote stood yeas S3, nays IL. The thirC
charge making out the list with dollar:
after the names of members, was ther
sustained, every one Of the 81 members
present voting yea.
Representative Croker then offered {
resolution of expulsion, which Represen.
tative Ogg sought to amend SO as to pro.
vide for severe censure. The amendment
was voted down, yeas 2, nays ~; and then
amid breathless silence the resolution &c
expel the member who had made such
foolish exhibition of himself and done 81
much to bring the good name of his fellow
members was carried by unanimous vot,
of "a yeas. The Speaker then, in voice
choking with suppressed sorrow, said
"Two-th of the members elect having
voted therefor, the resolution ia adopted
and the said Milo II. Dakin, member o
the House of Representatives from tn
First Representative District of Saginaw
County, is, from and after this date, ex
PEELED from the floor of this House, an,
debarred from any and all the rights. priv
ileges, and advantages OF a member of sait
House during the remainder of his otficia
term"
The investigation into the alleged mis-
conduct of the recent Superintendent an
one or two of the teachers of the Stat
Public School at Coldwater, that came 81
near being ordered couple of weeks ag
by the Legislature, is likely to be ordere,
now. as the subject was revised on the 29tl
by report made to the two houses by tn
committees on that institution, in which
they gave the result of visit recentl
made to the school by b-committee up
pointed by the two committees, who Wen
at the request of the Board of Manager
of the institution. The report was favor
able to the school and its managers, AM
assumed that no investigation was needed
and that if one were ordered
would hurt rather than help the school
and would cripple the managers in thei
efforts to purge the institution of all wh'
would injure it in its future work. Sena
tors Hubbell and j. w. Babcock mad
vigorous speeches against the report a
being in the nature Of bald attempt a
whitewashing," as the former put it. AM
against the visit of the sub committee, a
being unauthorized by the Legislature anc
in bad taste, as it was in response to an in
vitation from the very persons who woul'
naturally be less anxious for an investiga
ton than any others. The report and yisi
were both vigorously defended by Senate
Westgate who was of the sub committee
aud then the feeling on the matter seemed
so bitter that the committee thought best 4